For only 40¢, you and a friend could sit in one of eleven double-seat parachutes connect to a cable that hoists its occupants 250 feet above the floor of the Amusement area.
Vertical guide wires prevent swaying, a metal ring keeps the parachute open at all times, asd shock-absorbers eliminate the impact of landing.
A very safe thrill. it was one of the highlights of the World's Fair Amusement Zone.
One of the greatest icons in all of Gilbert Erector history is the Parachute Jump model. This large and imposing, yet wonderfully elegant design was patterned after the famous Parachute Jump amusement ride that thrilled visitors to the 1939 World's Fair in New York.
The 1939 World's Fair boasted a tall 250 foot and elegant jump that eventually supported 12 parachutes. The popular ride was sponsored by the Life Savers Candy Company, which decorated the tower with large, brightly lit "candy" rings.
The Life Saver's Company provided $15,000 in sponsorship and colorful lighted Life Saver's candy rings that dotted the length of the tower.
Although financially successful, the Jump was plagued with technical failures. On several occasions, riders were suspended aloft for hours when a chute tangled in the cables. On July 12, 1939, Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius Rathborne were suspended 150 feet above the ground for five hours while jump employees attempted to free their chute. They went for another ride the very next day, likely at the urging of worried Fair publicity agents.
On July 12, 1939, Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius Rathborne were suspended 150 feet above the ground for five hours while jump employees attempted to free their chute. They went for another ride the very next day, likely at the urging of worried Fair publicity agents.
After the World's Fair closed in the Fall of 1940, the Parachute Jump was purchased and continued to operate in Coney Island's Steeplechase Park until the Park closed in 1964; operation of the Jump ceased for good in 1968. Thereafter, it stood idle and rusting in the Atlantic Ocean salt air while alternately being scheduled for demolition and/or sale. Declared a New York City landmark in 1988, the Parachute Jump was protected until restoration began in 1992.
World's Fair Historical Society - wf- 121r
Today the Jump stands newly repainted in its original colors and structurally sound again, although it remains sadly idle and unused.
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